Ground cover rose plant named ‘Poultc021’

ABSTRACT

A new garden rose plant of the Ground Cover class which has abundant, orange flowers and attractive foliage. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Botanical designation: Rosa hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Poultc021’. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of gardenrose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between thefemale seed parent, an unnamed seedling, and the male pollen parent,also an unnamed seedling.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 2006 and the resultingseeds were planted in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark.The new variety, named ‘Poultc021’, originated as a single seedling fromthe stated cross.

The new variety may be distinguished from its male pollen parent andfemale seed parent by the following characteristics. The female seedparent has medium yellow flowers while the new variety has orangeflowers. The male pollen parent has orange red flowers.

The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety was to create anew and distinct variety for garden use with unique qualities, such as:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant orange flowers;    -   2. Vigorous, but compact growth when propagated both as a budded        rose and on its own roots;    -   3. Exceptional disease resistance.

This combination of qualities is not present in previously availablecommercial cultivars of this type, known to the inventor, anddistinguish ‘Poultc021’ from all other varieties of which we are aware.

As part of the rose development program, Mogens N. Olesen germinated theseeds from the aforementioned hybridization during winter of 2006 andconducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlledenvironment in Fredensborg, Denmark. ‘Poultc021’ was selected in thespring of 2007 by the inventor as a single plant from the progeny of theaforementioned hybridization.

Asexual reproduction of ‘Poultc021’ by traditional budding and rootedcuttings was first done by Mogens N. Olesen in the nursery inFredensborg, Denmark in July, 2007. This initial and other subsequentasexual propagations conducted in controlled environments havedemonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Poultc021’ are true to typeand are transmitted from one generation to the next.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration shows as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Poultc021’.Specifically illustrated in the drawing are a flowering branch, flowerin parts, leaves, and stems. Plants shown are 2 years of age.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a description of ‘Poultc021’, as observed in its growthin in a field nursery in Marion County, Oreg. Observed plants are 2years of age, and were grown on their own roots. Color references aremade using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) ColourChart, 2001, except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety‘Chewmaytime’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,347 are compared to ‘Poultc021’ inChart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Poultc021’ ‘Chewmaytime’ Petal Count 20 5 Flower Diameter 45 mm48 mm Petal color, upper Orange-Red Group N30B Red 43C, becoming surfaceafter splashed with Yellow Group closer to 52D with opening. 9B at thebasal zone development.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Continuous.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—Upon opening, 15 mm in length from base of receptacle            to end of bud. Bud diameter is 10 mm.        -   Bud form.—Globose.        -   Bud color.—As sepals divide petals are Orange Group 24B with            intonations of Orange-Red Group 33B.        -   Sepal inner surface.—Color: Green Group 138B. Surface:            Lightly pubescent.        -   Sepal outer surface.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 144B with            strong intonations of Greyed-Purple Group 183A. Texture:            Smooth.        -   Sepal shape.—Apex: Cirrhose. Base: Flat at union with            receptacle.        -   Sepal margin.—Margins have very weak foliaceous appendages            on three of the five sepals.        -   Sepal size.—15 mm long, 5 mm wide.        -   Receptacle.—Texture: Smooth. Size: 5 mm in height, 6 mm            wide. Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A with strong intonations            of Greyed-Purple Group 183A. Shape: Globose.        -   Pedicel.—Surface: Smooth. Length: About 25 mm. Diameter:            1 mm. Color: Yellow-Green Group 144B with strong intonations            of Greyed-Purple Group 183A. Strength: Strong.        -   Peduncle.—Length: 20 to 30 mm. Diameter: 2.5 mm. Color:            Yellow-Green Group 145B with intonations of Greyed-Purple            Group 183D. Texture: Smooth.-   Flower bud development: Flower buds are borne in clusters of 3 to 7    flower buds per stem.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Fragrance.—Moderate honey scent.        -   Duration.—The blooms have a duration on the plant of            approximately 7 days. Petals fall cleanly away from plant            after flowers have fully matured.        -   Size.—Flower diameter is 45 mm when open. Flower depth is 15            mm.        -   Flower shape.—Single, fully open exposing flower parts.        -   Shape of flower, side view.—The upper portion is flat. The            lower portion is convex.-   Petalage: Under normal conditions, flowers have 20 petals total, 1    or 2 of which are petaloids.-   General tonality of flower: Open flowers are Orange-Red Group N30B.-   Petal color:    -   -   Upper surface.—Orange-Red Group N30B splashed with Yellow            Group 9B at the basal zone.        -   Lower surface.—Blend of Orange Group 28D and Orange-Red            Group 31A. The basal zone is splashed with Yellow Group 9B.-   Petals:    -   -   Petal reflex.—Flat.        -   Margin.—Entire and uniform. Moderate undulations.        -   Shape.—Generally rounded. Apex shape: Mucronate. Base shape:            Broadly acute.        -   Size.—About 20 mm (l)×20 mm (w).        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Thickness.—Moderate.-   Petaloids:    -   -   Size.—13 mm (l) by 10 mm (w).        -   Shape.—Acute apex with cleft, base is acute.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Orange-Red Group N30B splashed with            Yellow Group 9B at the basal zone. Lower surface: Blend of            Orange Group 28D and Orange-Red Group 31A. The basal zone is            splashed with Yellow Group 9B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pollen.—None observed.        -   Anthers.—Size: 1 mm in length. Color: Greyed-Orange Group            164A. Quantity: 60 on average.        -   Filaments.—Color: Yellow-Orange Group 20A. Length: 4 mm.        -   Pistils.—Length: 3 mm. Quantity: 15 on average.        -   Stigmas.—Color: Greyed-Yellow Group 162A.        -   Styles.—Color: Red-Purple Group 59A.        -   Location of stigmas.—Level location relative to the length            of the filaments and the height of the anthers.        -   Hips.—None Observed.

PLANT

-   Plant growth: Upright, bushy. Plants are 30 cm in height, and 30 cm    wide.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Juvenile growth: Yellow-Green Group 145A with            intonations of Greyed-Red Group 182B. Mature growth:            Yellow-Green Group 145A.        -   Length.—On average, canes are 15 cm from the base of the            plant to the flowering portion.        -   Diameter.—4 mm.        -   Internodes.—On mature canes, there is an average distance of            15 mm between nodes.        -   Surface texture.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.-   Long prickles:    -   -   Incidence.—10 prickles per 10 cm of stem.        -   Size.—Average length of prickles on mature stems is 6 mm.        -   Shape.—Upper and lower side are linear.        -   Color.—Juvenile prickles: Greyed-Purple Group 183C. Mature            prickles: Greyed-Purple Group 183C.-   Plant foliage:    -   -   Compound leaf.—65 mm (l)×35 (w).        -   Quantity.—4 leaves per 10 cm of stem on average.        -   Leaf bearing angle to the stem.—45 degrees.        -   Color of juvenile foliage.—Upper side: Yellow-Green Group            146A. Margins are Greyed-Purple Group 183A. Lower side:            Yellow-Green Group 146B.        -   Color of mature foliage.—Upper side: Yellow-Green Group            146A. Lower side: Yellow-Green Group 146B.-   Plant leaves and leaflets:    -   -   Stipules.—Size: 9 mm long, 3 mm wide. Quantity: 2 per            compound leaf. Shape: Linear, slightly broad based with            outward extending apices. Margins: Finely serrated. Color:            Yellow-Green Group 146A.        -   Petiole.—Length: 18 mm. Diameter: 1 mm.        -   Upper surface.—Color: Greyed-Purple Group 183A.        -   Lower surface.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 146D.        -   Rachis.—Length: 20 mm. Upper surface: Color: Greyed-Purple            Group 183A.        -   Lower surface.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 146D. Observations:            Small prickles.        -   Leaflet.—Quantity: Normal number of leaflets per leaf in            middle of the stem is 5 leaflets. Margins: Serrated. Size:            Average size of the terminal leaflet on normal leaves is 22            mm in length by 11 mm wide. Shape: Generally elliptical.            Base: Rounded. Apex: Acute. Texture: Smooth. Thickness:            Average. Arrangement: Odd pinnate. Venation: Reticulate.            Glossiness: Not glossy.-   Disease resistance: Above average resistance to powdery mildew    Sphaerotheca pannosa, downy mildew Peronospora sparsa, rust    Phragmidium sps., black spot Diplocarpon rosae, and Botrytis cinerea    under normal growing conditions.-   Cold hardiness: The variety is tolerant to USDA Cold Hardiness Zone    6.-   Heat tolerance: The variety has been found to be suitable for    climate conditions found in the American Horticulture Society heat    zone 7.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the GroundCover rose class named ‘Poultc021’, substantially as illustrated anddescribed herein, due to its abundant orange flowers, diseaseresistance, and extended period of bloom.